Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Cuomo Creates Cabinet on Integrating People with Developmental Disabilities

Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order Friday advancing the state’s efforts to place developmentally disabled people in integrated, community-based settings rather than state institutions.

Cuomo’s order created a cabinet that will design a plan for how to implement federal law that aims to prevent disabled people from being segregated from the general population, both in where they live and how they spend their days.

The cabinet, which includes officials from state agencies dealing with the disability community as well as several of the governor’s top aides, will present a plan to Cuomo in May. Roger Bearden, who Cuomo last year appointed chairman of the Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities, will serve as the cabinet’s leader.

I like the focus not just on where people with disabilities live but on "how they spend their days." Very important